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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167885">Blooming Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiliumTea/pseuds/LiliumTea'>LiliumTea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Fluff and Angst, Hanahaki Disease, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Misunderstandings, Not Actually Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:03:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167885</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiliumTea/pseuds/LiliumTea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rook was younger, he got a curious curse from a powerful mage. After years, he thought the curse was a mere farce. That was until he met Vil. His curse began, as much painful as delightful.<br/>Will the curse eat him up, or will he find a solution to this prickly issue?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rook Hunt/Vil Schoenheit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Blooming Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Heya!<br/>Yes, i decided to hit yall with some angst out of the blue<br/>Hope you'll like it~~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It all began years ago. Rook was younger, and a fool. Who could’ve guess that a simple, little curse would have so much consequences in the future?<br/>Rook remembered the words spoken to him that day all too well. “Young child. What you broke just now is way more important than you think. I cannot let you go like that. I won’t let you go like that! Were you to fall in love one day, may this love bloom, in the literal sense. May it poison your blood, and crush your body till your last breath were it not requited. You made fun of love? Then YOU WILL PAY for it.”<br/>He remember clearly the magic hitting him, faint electricity making all his body tremble suddenly. Remember losing consciousness as the person who supposedly cursed him disappeared in a gust of smoke.</p>
<p>He woke up in the forest, and heard his parents calling for him. He went home, seemingly unharmed that day, and when he talked about the events of the day with his parents, they just smiled a little at him and pinched his cheeks. They didn’t believe him. They didn’t believe that tale of a tall mage cursing him because he accidentally killed a deer, his first deer. After all, if he really killed it, where was that nice prey? Rook just pouted that day, and let them laugh softly at him.<br/>Years passed. Rook grew older, and the curse soon enough became a simple memory. A crazy dream. He himself began to think he imagined all of it.</p>
<p>And then. Then he got an admission letter to night raven college. His parents were proud. Surely their son would have fun there and make friends. He too was proud, and happy to go there. He heard that the second son Kingscholar was at that school, and honestly, could he dream of better prey than a roi de leon to hunt down?<br/>He also, like a lot of people, heard of a beautiful person apparently admitted this year too, like him. Vil Schoenheit, he remembered. For Rook, who was thriving to always see beautiful things, it was marvelous.</p>
<p>The day he finally enrolled to the school finally came, and it was the moment his fate was sealed.</p>
<p>He found himself sorted to the Pomefiore dorm, and he was more than happy. The Pomefiore dorm seemed full of delicate yet fierce beauties.<br/>He was looking around to see if anyone else near him also got sorted quickly, and his eyes met those of someone else. Purple eyes reminding him of the violets growing in the forest he loved so much, not far from his hometown of the Savannah. Long eyelashes, rosy cheeks. Pink pouting lips that seemed softer than anyone could dream of. Wavy blond hair framing his face, tips a deep purple, surely to remind people of his perfect eyes.<br/>He remembered that face. Saw it on Magicam more than he dared to admit. But those pictures, as beautiful as they were, didn’t do this ethereal being justice.<br/>Vil Schoenheit, it could only be him anyways, kept his gaze on him, and after a few seconds, gave him a soft and somehow shy smile. Rook did the same, but at that moment, he felt something constricting his chest. Like flowers bloomed. A delicious pain that was caused by that smile. He knew right then that he fell in love at the first sight. But what he didn’t remember, was the curse looming on him, that curse that finally activated itself after years of slumber.</p>
<p>Here he was now, three years by his side, as vice lead of their dorm. Always helping him out. Years made them become friends. Then slightly more, someone the other could trust blindly. Rook has always been happy with just that. Just being near him, being able to stand beside him, even if just as a friend, filled him with a warm feeling.<br/>At least it was the good things. He hid too well the nights of anguish, where he coughed all night long as he recalled unimportant things, worthless talks that gnawed at his mind and making him convinced his love was fruitless. The first year, it happened once or twice a month at worse, coughing fits that lasted a few minutes and made his throat itchy. The second year, he understood something was really  wrong as he coughed out his first flower petals.<br/>He remember the dread that filled him that night, especially when he heard a knock on his door mere seconds after, a soft voice calling out to him</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-Rook, may I come in?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rook quickly washed his face that day, hiding the fresh reddened petals, and hoarsely answered</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Oui, bien sûr Vil, you can come in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That night has been a balm to his soul. Vil falling asleep on his shoulder after he told him the nightmare he had. The trust between them was something he always cared for.<br/>A balm that was just the first mark of long painful nights to come.</p>
<p>But now, now? He would cough out full bloodied flowers in the dead of the night as much as in broad daylights.<br/>It was harder and harder to hide his curse to others, but still not impossible.</p>
<p>Today for him was a day like others. Waking up, shower, skincare, dressing himself, and go see if Vil needed anything for the day to be perfect.<br/>A normal morning, hours passing like usual. Then a little something caught his eye. Vil seemed more on his phone than usual, smiling softly at the screen in front of him as he answered a message. Maybe his parents, or his manager? No, he would rarely have that kind of smile for them. Could it be…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Roi de poison? Your tea will get cold.<br/>- Oh, yeah, I apologize. I had things to take care of.<br/>- You seem awfully happy about it. Matters of love?<br/>- In a way, it is, I suppose.<br/>- Je...je vois.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He felt his respiration getting slowly blocked, so he gritted his teeth and articulated while he still could</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Excuse me for a second, mon ami, I forgot something in my...room. I’ll- I’ll go search it quickly. Don’t wait...for me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He barely listened what Vil said, his melodious voice just background noise for him as he all but rushed out of this stuffy room, away from his roi de poison. Running with strangled gasps for breath as if he could escape his curse that way. He clutched at his throat, nails digging into the skin.</p>
<p>Rook could feel it, that familiar tightness in his chest, the feeling of his lungs being constricted by some unknown force. He knew all too well what was coming for him. To think that a mere sentence could hurt like that. He was Pathetic.</p>
<p>Of course he had excused himself with barely audible words, to run far from this place, far from this sweet torture. He found himself in the botanical garden, and laughed breathily at the irony. Of course he would end up surrounded by plants when they were the ones killing him inside slowly, cursed vines and delicate petals filling up his lungs and clutching at his ribcage greedily.</p>
<p>Each gasp of breath was painful, the flowers itching at his throat and for the first time since this curse began, he wished for it to end.<br/>He coughed harshly, tears prickling at the edge of his eyes, feeling himself choke up. Droplets of blood splattered on the floor, a spark contrast to its whiteness, but Rook didn't care at the moment. Not when each gasp for air became harder and harder. Petals of yellow roses painted red with his blood spilled from his lips. Rook thought bitterly that maybe he should help Heartslabyul paint their roses. He didn’t think for long, as the coughing fit worsened and he couldn’t breathe anymore. He spat blood, and an entire rose, as bloody as the petals before. It didn’t stop, and he coughed more and more of them, it tired him out, and he suddenly felt his legs giving out. He fell, vision hazy, and before everything turned black, surely his last thoughts were "I'm going to die" and "roi de poison...my muse, my king...is it a goodbye...i am sorry" </p>
<p>Leona and Ruggie were passing by a few minutes after, planning on eating and sleeping a little here, and when they saw Rook like that, they didn’t react immediately. Thought it was a joke he would make, some kind of ambush, as the hunter sure knew very well all of their napping places.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Oi, Don’t try to prank us, we see you, Rook.<br/>- Shishi, is he trying to play dead? Not very convinc… Wait. Leona...is that...blood?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They both approached Rook and felt dread creeping up at the fact that, yes, it was clearly blood, and it was Rook’s.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Ruggie. I’ll bring him to the infirmary. Call Vil. Quick.<br/>- I- I’m on it!<br/>- Damn it don’t you dare die on us you fucking fool! Wake up...wake up idiot...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Leona and Ruggie would never admit it, but they were absolutely worried right now. They could lie all they want, even if Rook was weird and annoying most of the time, they grew used to his eccentric habits, and even to him hunting them down teasingly. So this idiot had no right dying like that. Absolutely not.</p>
<p>Rook woke up feeling like shit, throat hurting like hell, but still somehow alive. The white ceiling hurt his eyes, and it took him a few long seconds to adjust to his surroundings. What was he doing there? He didn’t remember a lot. Only the pain. That sweet pain, proof that his love for Vil was real, and forever one sided.<br/>He sat up slowly, and only now felt that someone was crushing his hand. The owner of said hand yawned and blinked slowly his eyes. Their eyes met, and Rook could see those pretty, lovely purple eyes widening in shock.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Ro-Rook...you’re finally awake…<br/>- Good morning roi de poison.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vil stared at him for a few seconds, tightening his hold on his hand, trembling, and to Rook’s surprise, Vil lips started quivering as he sobbed. Tears ran down his lovely face, and Rook wanted to wipe them out and take Vil in his arms, lulling him softly to calm him down. He didn’t move an inch. Just looked, chest tightening painfully, as Vil cried his eyes out, looking so vulnerable, so delicate that a single touch felt like it could break him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Rook...Rook...what happened? I...We thought you wouldn’t wake up!<br/>- Has it been that long for you to worry like that, mon cher?<br/>- Three days. And the teachers refused to tell us anything, refused to let us see you... until yesterday.<br/>- Why the change of heart on their part?<br/>- I threatened them, Rook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His roi de poison threatened the teachers just to see him? What a lovely, caring gesture, for a friend. Vil truly was too kindhearted with him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Well...I am awake now. You can go back now roi de poison, do not fret about my wellbeing.<br/>- Rook. Do not try to cut me out of this. Please, tell me what happened to you.<br/>- ...Just lost consciousness, surely inhaled something poisonous? I do not know mon ami.<br/>- Stop lying to me Rook. Why would there be blood where they found you then?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rook stayed silent. He didn’t want to lie to him. But there was no way he’d say the truth. Never. He already accepted his tragic fate. Embraced the fact that he would die sooner than everyone thought, consumed by the flames of unrequited love, a passion that would burn his lungs till nothing was left.</p>
<p>He didn’t want to cure this. He knew what would happen. Learned the stories from other people who suffered that same curse. He would rather die, vines and flowers ripping his body apart like some grotesque sculpture than do like them. Never would he let someone take back those feelings he had for Vil. He would die loving Vil, no one else had a word in it.<br/>A teacher, Crewel, entered the room as the silence became heavier, and looked at Rook softly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Rook, my boy...I am glad to see you’ve awoken. Vil, could you please let us alone, I need to talk with him?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vil stayed still, ignoring the teacher completely, jaw tensed. Crewel sighed, but ultimately gave up and just took a seat near the bed, and looked Rook dead in the eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Rook. It was a close call. You won’t have as much luck next time, so I advise you to treat this fast. For how long do you suffer from it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The hunter sighed, and tried to ignore how tensed Vil was beside him, crushing his hand to the point his knuckles became white.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Trois ans. Since I entered NRC.<br/>- Why didn’t you get treated?<br/>- I do not wish to.<br/>- I see. I’ll come back later to talk about it again. Because there is no way I’ll let one of my student die because he is a fool.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Crewel exited the room as quickly as he arrived, and his voice resonated faintly, telling to whoever was in front of the door that they could come visit after Vil was done.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Rook. What did you mean, by three years? And what is that twisted joke, not wanting to get treated? Explain yourself right this instant.<br/>- ...It is a curse. I will not say more. Treating it would be the same as me dying, hence why I refuse that. Just that.<br/>- You won’t say more, right? Fine. I’ll let you rest, but I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll find those answers by myself if I have to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vil got away with a huff, not without glancing one last time worryingly at Rook. Not even a few seconds after Vil exited, a few students entered in a flash, bringing things and almost crushing him.</p>
<p>He was surprised to see it was Trey, Kalim, Epel and Ruggie. Kalim was the one who rushed toward him, followed closely by Epel, and they both sobbed and gripped him like he would die if they didn’t.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Roi d’or, Princesse pomme...do not cry, I am fine now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The hunter made a little sign with his head to welcome the calmer ones, and they all talked to him for a good hour. Epel was the one talking the most, filling in about what happened in the dorms the past days. How Vil was snapping at everyone while his condition wasn’t stable and didn’t sleep a wink.<br/>It made Rook’s heart clench painfully, knowing that his roi de poison worried so much about him.<br/>They left, except Trey, who stayed a few more minutes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Rook. You should tell Vil what you have. Things might not turn out the way you think.<br/>- What are you-<br/>- Just trust me. You are both my friends and I wish you would both stop being so oblivious. Sleep a bit, you’ll talk it out with him tomorrow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rook watched Trey’s figure disappearing, and lied down on the bed. He fixed the ceiling, trying to decipher what he said. He truly didn’t comprehend anything. He sighed and let himself fall asleep, welcomed by the warm sheets and dreamless night.</p>
<p>The following morning passed without any issues. Only Crewel came to see him, well, that was a given since he chased everyone away for the whole said morning.<br/>He tried to convince him, but Rook was stubborn. In the end, Crewel just sighed and warned him he would come back as many times necessary to make him accept the treatment.<br/>He thought he would be eating alone, but Leona came see him, looking ready to punch him. What a shame he didn’t have his bow with him, they could have played a little together.<br/>Le roi de leon stopped at the seat, pushing it away with a sneer and sat on the bed. He glared at Rook and spat out</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- You better do something for your fucking curse and fast. Or I’ll be the one taking care of it.<br/>- what?<br/>- You heard me. I know what the fuck you have and I sure as hell ain’t gonna let you die in peace.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Leona took hold of his face and pinched hard, making it impossible for Rook to utter anything other than breathless laughing.<br/>Rook heard the door open, and Vil stood there casually, leaned against it, watching the scene. His tone was weirdly cold.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- I hope I am not disturbing you two.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Leona scoffed, and let Rook go, before exiting the room, whispering something to Vil as he passed by him. Vil’s face contorted in anger for a few seconds, but he calmed down, and strolled to the seat near Rook’s bed and sat down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- I think I know what you have. And I will ask that, not as a dorm leader but as...a friend. Rook. Get treated. I beg you.<br/>- Vil. I...I cannot do that. I am terribly sorry…<br/>- So you prefer to choke to death because of...flowers growing out of your body than to just give up on…<br/>- Yes.<br/>- What does that stupid Leona have to make you want to die for a pointless love? He only have his face for himself! He is lazy, incapable of taking care of himself. There is no beauty in a man who don’t try to be better!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vil continued to rant as to why Leona was the worse choice someone would have as a love interest, and Rook just stared at him, before having an impromptu laughing fit. He laughed so hard his sides began to hurt and he coughed violently. Vil stopped his rant to rub at his back soothingly, worry clear on his porcelain face. Rook calmed down soon enough, and could feel Vil hand staying on his back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- What is so funny about what I said, Rook?<br/>- You, you got it totally wrong roi de poison. It has always been yo-<br/>- Uh?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rook had stopped himself, but slightly too late, as he saw Vil’s eyes widen, and his mouth open slightly in a silent exclamation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Me? For...three years. It was always me? Rook, answer.<br/>- Yes...only you, mon cher. Always you.<br/>- Are you telling me that...oh dear...what an idiot.<br/>- Vil?<br/>- I always thought you were in love with Leona. Do not blame me for that reasoning, you are rather...intense when it comes to hunting him down. I pined like a fool for years for nothing!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pining like a fool? For...for who...for him????</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- Roi de poison, are you telling me that-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His throat was dry, and he could feel the flowers threatening to split his body in two the second his roi de poison would answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>- I love you too, you fool.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vil leaned in to give him a chaste and quick kiss, over before Rook had the time to understand it.<br/>He gasped audibly, before coughing harshly for breath. How could that be? He coughed and coughed, and a single petal fell from his lips, a white rose petal, immaculate. Rook stared at it for a long time, as he felt the constrictive feeling in his chest, that feeling weighing down on him since years, slowly melt to let place to warmth only. He felt himself tremble from emotion, and Vil touched his cheek softly, wiping away the tears he hadn’t noticed were streaming down his face.</p>
<p>He took Vil in his arms and cried in his embrace for what felt like days. He was free. How was it possible?<br/>Love truly was powerful, but Rook didn’t think the love he was certain would bring his doom would be the one saving him in the end.</p>
<p>What happened after that? Kisses, sweeter than he ever dreamed of, and even Crewel sighing in the background couldn’t stop them. They yearned too long for such a sweet, loving ending, and no one would stop them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!!<br/>Kudos and comments are appreciated as always~</p></blockquote></div></div>
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